Field of bad dreams

The American dream is crumbling if not turning into an outright nightmare.

Employment figures indicate a fundamental shift away from a prospering middle class and portends a bleak future for most Americans.

There are many reasons for this such as free trade, which has included shipping many American jobs overseas where they are done by low-wage workers who get no benefits. Another reason could be that employers have taken advantage of technology advances to robotize their factories and cut down on the number of workers.

But Obamacare looms over all of it.

Knowing the problems with the economy, does it make sense to create new, restrictive rules making the situation worse?

That is the upshot of the Affordable Care Act. Conservative Democrats and unions are in uproar at unexpected developments.

James P. Hoffa, general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters; Joseph Hansen, international president of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union; and Donald “D.” Taylor, president of UNITE HERE, a union representing hotel, airport, food service, gaming and textile workers, sent a letter to Democratic Senators Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.

Among other things, the letter said: “When you and the president sought our support for the Affordable Care Act, you pledged that if we liked the health plans we have now, we could keep them. Sadly, that promise is under threat. We have been strong supporters of the notion that all Americans should have access to quality, affordable health care. We have also been strong supporters of you. In campaign after campaign, we have put boots on the ground, gone door-to-door to get out the vote, run phone banks and raised money to secure this vision. Now this vision has come back to haunt us and destroy the foundation of the 40-hour work week that is the backbone of the American middle class.”

Their concern is that the employer mandate creates a situation where small companies either fire workers to get under the 50 employee limit and/or cut back hours of employment under 30 hours in order to get out from under the term “full-time employee.”

They addressed it this way: “Perverse incentives are causing nightmare scenarios. First, the law creates an incentive for employers to keep employees’ work hours below 30 hours a week. Numerous employers have begun to cut workers’ hours to avoid this obligation, and many of them are doing so openly. The impact is two-fold: fewer hours means less pay while also losing our current health benefits.”

The leaders conclude by stating: “On behalf of the millions of working men and women we represent and the families they support, we can no longer stand silent in the face of elements of the Affordable Care Act that will destroy the very health and well being of our members along with millions of other hardworking Americans.”

President Obama, promised: “If you like your plan, you can keep your plan.”

But the labor leaders say: “Unless changes are made … that promise is hollow. We continue to stand behind real health care reform, but the law as it stands will hurt millions of Americans including the members of our respective unions. We are looking to you to make sure these changes are made.”

Oh, by the way, a new Gallup Poll identifies another possible health risk factor: working part-time.

Of the 27 million part-time workers in America, 1 in 12 are currently being treated for depression, according to the Gallup poll. That’s roughly 50 percent higher than the rate among full-time workers. So far in 2013, 130,000 full-time jobs were created, while 557,000 part-time jobs were created. Working two jobs is going to be the new normal, apparently as well as seeing a depression counselor.

What you are seeing is a dawning awareness, in staunch Democratic supporters, that the AFC is not what it was cracked up to be, not even close.

When reasonable people pointed out these failings during the mockery of a so-called debate of the AFC, they were made to look like racists and obstructionists, but the chickens are coming home to roost now.

Who knew that when this legislative bait-and-switch was forced upon us with only Democratic votes, it represented a unique time in American history when rats were actually observed swimming toward a sinking ship?

But this is just the tip of the unemployment iceberg floating toward the ship known as the S.S. American Economy. Other parts of the bill are similarly unworkable and dangerous to the economy. Don’t mend this government employment death star.

End it, before it kills the American dream and your upward mobility as well as that of your children.